Not Just A River
by awesomesen
Summary: Rikku has denial issues, Paine is smug and motherly, and Gippal has his eye on a certain blonde's minidress. What more is there to say? [pointless, plotless, vaguely RG]


_(note: Paine's nickname, "paine-sensei" can be translated a few different ways-- most notably, "doctor" and "teacher." This story used the latter translation, whereas the English translation uses the former--Dr. P. Just to clear it up! That said, this story is utter crap. Please go read something else instead, because I can't write humor to save my life, okay?)_

* * *

Not Just A River

* * *

Despite what Paine said, Rikku totally hadn't dressed up in her newest, shortest sun-dress just because the Gullwings were going to Djose today. And despite what Yuna said, she totally didn't give a crap about what certain Machina Faction Leaders would think, and she certainly hadn't decided for low cut and tight because she wanted to impress certain eye-patch wearing idiots.

And if it sounded like she was making too big a deal out of it, she wasn't. Rikku was just kinda annoyed that everyone seemed to think she had some huge crush on some swaggering idiot, just because he was kinda cute and used to share his ice-cream with her when they were kids.

When Rikku explained this to her supposed friends, Yuna smiled and clapped her hands together and said that she was happy for Rikku, and Paine smirked and turned into smug!Paine, and they both acted like they knew something Rikku didn't, which was stupid.

They finally arrived at Djose. "Nice dress, kid!" a man yelled, but it wasn't someone Rikku knew, so she didn't really care. Yuna went to find someone to ask about pay raises for digging, leaving Rikku and Paine alone. A kid was working on some sort of mini-hover nearby, so Rikku wandered over to him, squatting down next to the kid as he worked. Soon, she was lost in the happy world of wiring.

* * *

"Heya, Teach.," Rikku heard Gippal say, a few minutes later. He was addressing Paine, of course, but she stood and turned around anyway, totally not so that he'd notice her, just because she was curious and might have to save Paine from Gippal's Evil Flirting Ways. But Gippal's back was to her, so he couldn't have noticed her anyway.

"Don't call me that," Paine retorted. ("whatever you say, teacher!" was the cheery reply) "How've you been doing?"

"Eh, okay," Gippal replied, scratching his ankle with his other foot. "Been pretty busy--if you're here, so are the other girls, right?" he looked around, one hand shading his eye as if he was outside, not in a dark, cool temple. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Yuna wants a raise," Paine said, smirking. "Nhadala said to apply here."

"An' a raise you'll get," Gippal said, snickering. "What, being High Summoner doesn't give her a big enough income? Can't she just march into Bevelle an' order Baralai to give her tribute?"

Paine snorted. "As much as I'd love to see that, I don't think she'd do it."

Rikku was tired of eavesdropping, so she skipped past Gippal to stand beside Paine, grabbing Paine's arm and linking it in hers mostly to annoy her. "Hi!"

"Was wondering when you'd show up," Paine said, reverting to smug in a second. Rikku stuck her tongue out at Paine, then glanced out of the corner of her eye at Gippal... who was staring at her! Rikku was smiling because she liked Paine, not because she cared about this.

"Hey," she said to Gippal, casual-like. "How've you been, huh?"

"Eh," Gippal said, _clearly unable to take his eyes _(well, eye) _off her_. Rikku wasn't smug, or happy, she wasn't she wasn't. Of course not. And if he thought she looked cute, well, she _did_, and that wasn't his fault. It's just that Rikku didn't care, because she didn't care what his reaction was, because she didn't care one way or the other about him. Nope. Never.

"Doing alright there?" Paine asked, amused, as Gippal, frowning slightly, looked Rikku over again.

"Uh, yeah," he said.

"What'cha staring at?" Rikku asked, pulling her arm away from Paine (Paine was happy for this) and putting her hands on her hips, her turn to be smug.

"Oh..." Gippal said slowly, then smiled, "Nothing, really."

"Awful long time to be staring at _nothing_," Rikku teased, grinning.

"Just lookin' at your dress," he explained cheerfully. "Something about the shape of it or somethin'--for a second, I thought you were taller." Rikku's face fell, her eyes narrowed. Gippal continued on, oblivious or a good liar. "_But, _you're just as puny as ever!"

He turned to Paine. "So, Teach., let's go find Lady Yunie-yuna and see about hooking her up with some cash, huh?"

"Sure," Paine replied, eyebrows raised, clearly amused. "Coming, Rikku?"

Instead of answering, Rikku stomped back to the kid and his Machine, fuming. Really! She didn't know why she bothered! It was a good thing, she thought, sitting on the floor with a huff, uncaring of the grime that probably covered the marble, that she had never cared about Gippal's reaction to start with... or else today would have been a _real _disappointment.

* * *

"You shouldn't lead her on like that," Paine said to Gippal as they headed deeper into the temple.

"I think that was the opposite of leading," Gippal remarked, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Un-leading. De-leadify. Flirtious Notous--"

"Shut up," Paine suggested.

"Yes Teacher." He grinned. "But really, what kinda mother are you? Letting her out of the Airship dressed like that..."

"I'm not her mother," Paine said, torn between amusement and annoyance. She glanced at him. "You know, life would really be easier for me if you'd just _tell _her you thought she looked hot."

A pout. "But that would take all the fun out of life..."

"…Just be quiet."

* * *

Two weeks later, Gippal asked Rikku's dress (and the garment's owner) out on a date. Paine smirked and was unbearably smug for the rest of the day.

* * *


End file.
